PPP Poll: Arizona Favors Gun Control

A new survey of Arizona from Public Policy Polling (D) finds an interesting result: This red state wants more gun control –Â indeed, they favor it more than national surveys have shown since the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) in the Tucson area.

The poll asked: “In general do you think Arizona should have stricter laws concerning who can buy guns or not?” The answer was Yes 55%, No 38%.

As PPP’s Tom Jensen points out: “That’s a higher degree of support for increased gun control in the wake of last month’s shootings in Tucson than national polls are showing. A recent CBS poll showed just 46% of voters across the country in support of tougher laws on guns and ABC and NBC both put the number at 52%.”The poll also asked: “Do you think the law should restrict those who have been deemed by the courts to be mentally ill from purchasing a handgun or not?” (As the pollster’s analysis notes, this is already prohibited in federal law — but is dependent on the compliance of states and private gun dealers.) The answer: Yes 92%, No 4%.

“Arizona has been a national leader in the gun-rights movement,” writes PPP president Dean Debnam, “but after the Tucson massacre, a lot of the state’s residents realize something needs to change.”